


everything is okay. (except it's not).

by lovevalley45



Category: DC's Legends of Tomorrow (TV)
Genre: F/M, Post-Season/Series 04, i don't even know how to describe this but here we go
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-05-27
Updated: 2019-05-27
Packaged: 2020-03-17 15:46:17
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 858
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/18968335
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/lovevalley45/pseuds/lovevalley45
Summary: Memories are weird.





	everything is okay. (except it's not).

**Author's Note:**

> alt title: i had an idea and it turned out weird but hey it's still kind of interesting right??
> 
> aka when something's off but no one wants to really address it

When Nate sees Zari for the first time ( _ no, not the first time, you’ve known her for two years and dated for a month _ ), he thinks that she’s just some spoiled vlogger ( _ not who she used to be _ ). 

And at first, she is ( _ but she isn’t supposed to be _ ).

Gideon’s first impression ( _ every memory of her tampering with her systems _ ) of her isn’t spectacular. It’s mutual, given that Zari doesn’t seem very fond of her either ( _ there’s a part of her telling not to trust this AI, memories connected to a love of playing violin _ ).

She becomes friends with Charlie ( _ she finds her familiar, a friendly face even though she’s never met Amaya _ ), despite their differences ( _ once, they were more alike then they liked to admit _ ). 

Mick tolerates her ( _ he tolerated her, then he liked her when she first help edit his novels _ ) but doesn’t really talk to her until he learns she’s a fan of his novels ( _ she never used to like romance, but she always liked Mick’s writing _ ). 

Sara thinks she’s a little too friendly ( _ she’s used to the Zari who dug in her heels with every order even if she doesn’t realize it _ ) but she gets the job done. She even helps Zari a little with training, even though she’s almost a natural ( _ they trained before, not much, but just enough _ ).

She bonds with Ray over video games ( _ they never gamed together while she was on the ship, but things always unfold in different ways _ ) and pretty soon, they become bros ( _ a word Zari never used to describe a friend, but came out pretty easily once they started hanging out _ ).

The power of two Tomaz siblings on the Waverider is unexpected ( _ Gideon doesn’t like it) _ . Behrad’s always been a little bit of a prankster and with Z, the pranks become more elaborate ( _ there were never pranks before, there was never Behrad before _ ).

The team accepts Zari with open arms ( _ typical, sappy Legends _ ) and she lets them ( _ it took her a time loop that nearly traumatized her to drag her out of her shell just a little _ ). Everything is okay. 

( _ Except it’s not _ ).

Nate doesn’t know what it is about her ( _ he does, he’s thought of everything he loved about her when he couldn’t sleep _ ) but he keeps getting drawn to her. Zari keeps surprising him, like peeling away layers he never thought she even had ( _ of course he knew, layers she’d showed him when the time was right _ ).

She’s drawn to him too ( _ true love is a little bit of a stretch, more like memories trying to claw out of her brain _ ) and they end up fucking in the library after a mission ( _ there was a lot more pining the first time, you horny animals _ ).

They feel really bad about it ( _ not because of Amaya this time _ ), avoid each other for a week until Sara tells them to cut the bullshit and sends them on a mission together ( _ a part of her knows they’d be good together, for Nate’s sake this time) _ . 

After that, everything comes easy ( _ of course it does, they did it all before _ ).

They never question it ( _ they ignore the weird dreams that feel so familiar) _ , chalk it up to fate ( _ both of them think fate is a crock of bullshit, for wildly different reasons _ ), and let themselves be in love ( _ a true tragedy) _ . 

Until Zari dares to question it.

“Do you ever kinda wish things happened differently?” she asks, laying in Nate’s bed. 

( _ No, and yes. _ )

“I don’t know,” Nate says. He looks at her, happy with makeup smudged a little around her eyes. He loves when she smiles ( _ it used to be a rarity, but things always change _ ). “I like us the way we are.” 

( _ They’re happier than they used to be, at least _ .)

He can’t sleep that night, so he gets up trying not to wake her ( _ she was an insomniac like him, once) _ . He ends up sitting in the library, waiting for something. Anything.

The door opens and it’s ( _ Zari) _ Behrad. 

“Hey, man,” Nate says. 

“Doing some late night research?” Behrad asks. He ( _ leans on the desk _ ) sits in the chair across from him. 

“Just can’t sleep.”

Behrad nods. “Yeah. I had a weird dream.” He’s rubbing his wrist, right where the Air Totem is ( _ he wasn’t there for it melting, but the story never sounded right) _ . “Why are you up?”

He doesn’t want to tell him why because it involves him and his sister ( _ he never used to know Nate before, wasn’t alive to know him _ ), so he comes with an excuse. “I don’t know.” ( _ He doesn’t want to think about it. _ )

“I’m gonna grab a midnight snack” - ( _ so much like his sister sometimes _ ) - “maybe eating something will make you feel better.”

He takes his advice, grabs a snack ( _ a donut, with strawberry frosting and sprinkles, her favorite _ ), and heads back to bed. 

Zari’s still asleep ( _ she’s not having a nightmare, resting peacefully for once _ ) as Nate climbs back into bed.

Why would he ever want to change this? 

( _ THIS IS WRONG THIS IS WRONG THIS IS NOT REAL, a voice screams at him. He ignores it. _ )

**Author's Note:**

> weird how a season finale can kick up that writing inspo huh
> 
> i haven't posted this much in like. forever lol


End file.
